Embracing Telehealth: A Guide For Healthcare Providers
Reports show that the use of telehealth has surged over the last several years. Though the rise of COVID-19 may have sparked this uptick, it didn’t fade away with the official end of the pandemic. In fact, more than 75 percent of healthcare facilities offer telehealth services at this point, and well over 60 percent of patients prefer virtual visits over in-person appointments.
Telehealth offers an array of benefits for both medical facilities and their patients. It can improve communications between healthcare providers and their patients, which paves the way for more comprehensive care. It can also lower their costs of operation. Virtual doctor visits makes healthcare accessible to more people and makes people more likely to keep their appointments. Those are only a few of the potential advantages you can expect if you offer telehealth appointments. This guide for healthcare providers can help you embrace telehealth so you, and your patients, can take full advantage of those benefits.
Evaluating the Benefits and Challenges
One of the first steps you should take is weighing the benefits against the difficulties of incorporating telehealth into the services you offer patients. Think about the challenges you could face along the way, including the cost of setting up your facility for telehealth, how it could impact your staff members and workflow, and whether your team members are ready and willing to make the necessary changes.
You’ll need to check the laws and regulations that apply to providing telehealth services in your area, and make sure your staff members are properly certified. Some facilities see an uptick in patient volume when they begin offering telehealth services, so think about the possibility of needing to hire additional staff members to handle the extra workload. Those are general hurdles; yours may vary depending on several factors.
Once you start offering telehealth services, your practice is likely to benefit greatly. You’ll probably have fewer cancellations and no-shows. Patient satisfaction rates are likely to increase. You’ll be able to monitor patients from afar as well, which may reduce the need for in-person visits without sacrificing patients’ health. That’s only the tip of the iceberg. Getting started can be costly and complicated, but it’s generally well worth the investment.
Choosing the Right Platform
You’ll also need to choose a telehealth platform. Several options are on the market, but they’re not all the same. Be sure to choose one that complies with HIPAA regulations as well as other rules that apply to the field. It’s important to choose one that works with the other systems and software you have in place as well. Finding one that’s customizable or that offers unique features that would be particularly helpful to your practice is also recommended.
Staff Training
From there, training your staff members on the proper use of telehealth platforms and equipment is essential. Be sure they’re able to guide patients on how to use the services.
Train them on how to troubleshoot basic technical issues and teach them the importance of remaining in compliance with privacy regulations among other common points. Be sure they understand the full benefits of telehealth and why you’re offering these services as well to make them more likely to embrace the changes.
Taking Full Advantage of Telehealth
Telehealth has become far more common in recent years, and it’s becoming increasingly popular among patients. Embracing telehealth can bring your facility and your patients numerous advantages. Understanding what implementing these services will entail, choosing the right platform, and properly training your staff are some of the most important measures in embracing telehealth for your facility’s benefit and that of your patients.
